Middle East

Flydubai saga captures Israel’s role in a new Middle East - and its old limits

DIPLOMATIC AFFAIRS: From Netanyahu’s UAE visit to the emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, a dramatic week reveals the possibilities and limits of regional cooperation.

|ByHERB KEINON
Travelers board a FlyDubai aircraft at Ben Gurion International Airport after a separate FlyDubai flight from the United Arab Emirates to Israel was diverted to Saudi Arabia following an emergency signal, in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel, September 30, 2026.
Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) departs Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, during Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2026, July 7, 2026.

Yemen claims 20 strikes carried out on Houthis, as Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted missile

US deploys third aircraft carrier to Middle East • UKMTO says tanker struck by unknown projectile in Strait of Hormuz • Houthis attacked Medina

|ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
The USS Theodore Roosevelt from the bay doors of a V-22 Osprey after taking off during a Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) military exercise in waters south of the Hawaiian Islands, U.S., July 13, 2026.

USS Roosevelt, Marines set to deploy to Mideast ahead of midterm elections, US official to 'Post'

The move means that, until the US midterm elections, President Donald Trump will have significantly greater military capabilities and a wider range of options for potential action against Iran.

|ByAMICHAI STEIN, IDAN KWELLER
National Security Minister and Otzma Yehudit party chairman Itamar Ben-Gvir, together with members of his party, arrives to submit the Otzma Yehudit party list to the Central Elections Committee ahead of the upcoming Israeli general elections at the Knesset, in Jerusalem, September 7, 2026.

Ben-Gvir to demand extradition of flydubai pilot to Israel after attempted terror hijacking

"Our security doctrine must be clear: Anyone who tries to murder or harm Israelis, the State of Israel will pursue them and settle the score with them anywhere in the world," he said.

|BySHIR PERETS, KESHET NEEV

Saudis may seek help from Israel as current alliances prove insufficient against Houthis - analysis

As the campaign continues, Israeli officials assess that Israel's air defense and AI capabilities could also become part of Saudi Arabia's broader considerations.

SEPTEMBER 22, 2026ByANNA BARSKY
In this handout screen grab captured from a video provided by the Houthi group media center on September 7, it shows the targeting of the targeting of several vans by ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi group once they arrived at Al-Wadiah military camp, allegedly carrying military supplies,

Houthis push for control of Yemen highlands as Trump is said to have called off strikes

According to the United Nations, nearly 700 people have been killed and thousands injured in the fighting.

SEPTEMBER 22, 2026ByREUTERS
Iran-aligned Houthi fighters occupy a firing position in a screengrab from a video said to show Houthi fighters attacking Saudi-backed forces in the location given by the source as al Jawf governorate, Yemen.

Jordanian, Qatari, Turkish leaders denounce Israel's West Bank, Gaza policies at UNGA

Iran allegedly prepares to strike back at US targets • Iranian airlines cut off from global system • UK commits air defenses to Saudi Arabia

SEPTEMBER 22, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
IDF soldiers operating as part of Operation Dawn 2.0, published on September 7, 2026.

EU says Red Sea mission needs more than 10 warships as Houthis rapidly advance

The EU's Aspides mission was launched in 2024 to protect shipping from attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, and diplomats have said there are currently six warships operating.

SEPTEMBER 22, 2026ByREUTERS
FILE PHOTO: European Union flags flutter outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium April 29, 2026.

Iranian airlines to be cut off from global system as US Treasury announces secondary sanctions

The move is part of the Trump administration’s Operation Economic Outcast, designed to ramp up economic pressure on Tehran alongside the conflict with Iran.

SEPTEMBER 21, 2026ByIDAN KWELLER
An Airbus A310-304 aircraft of Iranian airliner Mahan Air sits on the tarmac after landing at Sanaa International Airport in the Yemeni capital on March 1, 2015; Illustrative.

IDF reportedly raids several areas in West Bank after one killed in Neveh Tzuf terror attack

Trump calls off planned US strikes on Houthis at last minute after Saudi plea • Iran says it has new targets, weapons ready if US launches new attack, Fars news says

SEPTEMBER 21, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
Israeli soldiers and police officers near the scene of a shooting attack at a spring near the Israeli settlement of Neve Tzuf in the West Bank, where an Israeli man was shot by a Palestinian terrorist and later died of his wounds, September 20, 2026.

Syria grows increasingly concerned about suspicious explosions near Aleppo

If the explosions continue, suspicion will continue to grow. Levant24 has highlighted that the Aleppo explosion is the fourth this month.

SEPTEMBER 21, 2026BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
An explosion takes place in an area controlled by Israel in southern Lebanon, as seen from the edge of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, Lebanon, July 23, 2026.

Israeli-Saudi security coordination remains 'limited and pragmatic,' Saudi analyst cautions

Riyadh and Israel increasingly confront overlapping threats from Iran and the Houthis, but political constraints continue to limit direct military cooperation.

SEPTEMBER 20, 2026ByGIORGIA VALENTE/THE MEDIA LINE
Illustrative: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman looks on upon his arrival during a welcome ceremony as part of his two-day official visit to France, at the Hotel des Invalides in Paris, France August 24, 2026.

AI, Middle East escalation, Ukraine-Russia war on agenda for upcoming UN General Assembly

Nearly 130 heads of state meet with the post-World War Two order under strain and with the UN itself struggling to remain relevant and weathering attacks from Trump.

SEPTEMBER 20, 2026ByREUTERS
UNITED NATIONS headquarters in New York City.

IDF reportedly raids several areas in West Bank after one killed in Neveh Tzuf terror attack

Trump calls off planned US strikes on Houthis at last minute after Saudi plea • Iran says it has new targets, weapons ready if US launches new attack, Fars news says

SEPTEMBER 20, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
Israeli soldiers and police officers near the scene of a shooting attack at a spring near the Israeli settlement of Neve Tzuf in the West Bank, where an Israeli man was shot by a Palestinian terrorist and later died of his wounds, September 20, 2026.